Before heading off to immerse herself in summer studies, Emily left these parting words:

Looking back on this amazing year with Make Studio, I don’t know where to begin. I’m grateful for the personal connections that I’ve enjoyed with artists and staff, and that may be the thing that I will miss the most. I feel privileged to have witnessed the growth and the natural creativity of new artists who have joined the studio, during my year here. And I’m extremely lucky to have gotten to know and learn from the older Make Studio artists, who continue to grow and explore their unique visions and artistic voices. Many days in the studio, I was inspired to see artists support one another, and work together to resolve differences, and find professional ways of growing as a workplace and a community. The 6th Anniversary show stands out in my memory as an incredible showcase of the creative drive and productivity of the studio as a whole. What an amazing place to intern! Thank you all for welcoming me as a part of this terrific community! I look forward to volunteering at future Make Studio events.

Although we’re sad to see Emily go, we have wonderful new interns just beginning their time with us this summer. First, we’re welcoming Matt! Get to know him and his artwork, below:

My name is Matt. I am 21 and from Long Island, New York. I have been living in Baltimore for 3 years now as I am about to head into my senior year at MICA. I am a painting major. My work is a combination of a lot of mixed media ranging from insulation foam to objects like hot pink hair wigs. I like to mix the sculptural and the painterly, combining natural with unnatural and doing painterly marks in combination and accordance with an object or set up. I love to make 3D work. My work sometimes comes from my fascination and love for pop culture but a lot of the time my work becomes reactionary to people in my life or situations going on around me that directly impact me. I feel inspired everyday around Baltimore City because of its close knit and diverse art community. I love working at Make Studio and being able to share my love for mixed media and creating art out of objects as simple as silk or even combinations of plastic bags. “Art” is so many different things and ideas and I love to give insight to artists who are trying to expand their ideas and learn that art can be more than just a flat paper or a typical “eye pleaser” at a gallery or on the street, even.